Pandorum: The Lost Tapes
by jackanarchy
Summary: My name is Dr Alex Jensen, on February 13th 2011, I was recruited by an independent bioengineering pharmaceutical company named A.E.G.I.S. Then on May 13th 2012... something went wrong... something went terribly wrong.
1. Pandorum: Tape Zero

**Pandorum: The Lost Tapes**

**Written by Notorious/Jack Anarchy **

[**Tags**: Grimdark, Violence, Tragedy, Horror]

**The Lost Tapes: Tape 0 (Prologue)**

Location: Brooklyn, New York City

Date: Present Day

Time: 7.05am

_"Good morning New York City, it's now five after the hour of seven am in the Big Apple, temperature's a balmy 65 degrees which is good news for you commuters and it seems like a-"_

PAP!

The young lady groaned in aggravation for being so rudely awaken from her contentment of her slumber. She swallowed the thickness of her saliva although repulsed by the putrid sourness borne from the dryness of her mouth while she glared through half lidded eyes at the red diodes of her alarm clock in pure disdain. However the great chroniker has spoken and though a part of her would rather continue the inward tussle contemplating on the decision to leave the gentle embrace of her cotton comforters or get her lackadaisical behind up to face yet another sunrise in this drudging city.

She gritted her teeth, lifting her arms in a well deserved stretch while she sat herself up in bed. Squinting her eyes but a little from the blaring rays of the rising sun creeping through the narrow spaces between her curtains, breathing life and light into the dinginess of her meager one bedroom New York apartment. A small smile formed at the corner of her lips as she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair which she may add, was in desperate need of good brush. The gentle morning rays were comforting, almost affectionate like the gentle caress of velvet upon her cheek.

A yawn escaped her as the young lady climbed out of bed, dressed in a simple t-shirt and shorts she made her way to the large panel windows before pulling the thick drapes of dark maroon aside. Almost instantly, it was if the room the very room came to life as the sunlight banished the veil of shadows that clung to these walls of these lifeless quarters. She felt a soft chuckle escape her the moment she caught sight of the blazing streaks of bright pastel zipping by her windows as the Pegasus went on with their daily chores.

Scoffing, she preceded to shake her head from the fruitless desires of someday sailing side by side with them up in the wild blue yonder. Ponies and humans have long coexisted with one another since the beginning of civilization, or at least she would have derived that much from the multitudes of textbooks she had been forced to cram back in high school.

_Wonder if they would ever come up with a way to turn humans into ponies or vice versa? Naaaah! _

Now enough pitter patter and time for her own routine but a mere second before she set her sights on the coffee machine resting on the marble counter, she felt her heart jump as the telephone was sent into a frenzy. The young lady grinded her teeth in irritation before storming off into the kitchen feigning her ignorance to the two bit ring tone, betting her bottom dollar she knew the skank on the other end.

Even as the phone continued to ring, the young lady was bent on devoting all of her will and attention to brewing a fresh cup of Joe. After the sixth time, the ringing of the phone was soon taken over by the recorded voice of the answering machine.

"You have reached the home of Jessica Burns, reporter extraordinaire! My apologies for I'm not home to pick up your call because I am currently out scouting for the scoop of the century, so please leave a message and I'll get back to you,"

BEEP!

And then, all Hell broke loose as if the devil himself had risen from the bowels of underworld and decided the first thing he would do was to call her home.

"JESSICA! WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN! You said you were on to something! You said you found 'the scoooop of the century' It's been two fucking months! What the fuck am I paying you for!

You know what, fuck this! I don't fucking care anymore! Bottom line is, you promised me a front page editorial and I want it, on my desk by tomorrow or you're FIRED! YOU HEAR ME! F-I R-E-D, FIRED!"

The sound of the receiver being slammed made Jessica cringed a little but shrugged it off in an instant, proceeding to mouth the obnoxious words of the uncivilized brute in a childish attempt at mockery. However she sighed at the truth in those words for what had started out as pledges of fortitude were now but soulless shells of empty promises. Like the circular chips upon the random set of numbers at the roulette table, the young lady had placed everything, her career and her reputation on this one story.

The scandal would be atrocious and who knows? She might just find herself on the international wanted list, yes the stakes would be high but she knew that it would take her straight to very pinnacle of journalistic world. She shrugged yet again while proceeding to pour herself a steaming mug of coffee into her dull ceramic mug.

Maybe they were right, maybe those fat, useless, ambitionless pieces of lard down at the Daily Sentinel prove to have more than Pony Joe's doughnuts on the brain. Maybe, maybe this was all just a waste of time. She took a sip from her coffee she then averted her gaze to the large corkboard mounted firmly on the far side of room next to the LED screen.

It had been stuck with enough thumbtacks to rival the spikes of an Iron Maiden, not to mention a mile's worth of cellophane tape holding up multitudes of posted notes and newspaper clippings while being linked together with webs upon webs of red threads. A part of her was constantly on the verge of smearing her face in complete ridicule at the sight it, how it bore the uncanny traits of a stereotypical conspiracy theorist. Just what was she thinking?

Jessica took yet another slow sip of her java as she made her way to the corkboard in question, eying through each and every one of those headlines with some dating back as far as three years ago.

'Equestria, the aftermath, three years in continued silence'

'US Government decrees Equestria a RED zone'

'The quarantine continues, what lies beyond the concrete walls'

Her eyes narrowed cynically while she contemplated on the facts at hand. Three years ago on May 26th 2012, the United States government issued a level one contingency plan upon an undisclosed incident that occurred in the neighboring continent of Equestria. As far as the public was concerned, everything was on a need to know basis.

However there were rumors linking ties to the involvement of billion dollar pharmaceutical giant A.E.G.I.S. However, according to the government and corporation itself, those rumors were then proven to be untrue. Instead they declared the incident a wide scale pandemic originating from a poisonous vapor native to that of the Equestria.

The world, humans and ponykind were distraught but like any government fed garbage, like pigs they gobbled it up without a second thought but there many others who were far from convinced. Throughout the incident the media had been running in circles with their heads in their asses, like piranhas they fed off any scraps, even hardened shit the White House threw in their direction and in turn fed the people with information fit for IQ of a sea slug.

But in their journalistic frenzy, many have left out several key questions like had become of the Royal House of Equestria? What about its citizens? It was hard for the people, the very citizens of this country to put their faith and trust in the half hearted promises and vows of hypocrites, capitalists and power hungry tyrants in power, pledging that they would provide all the aid needed to their unfortunate neighbor.

Even then, within a week the entire continent had been sealed off from the outside world and declared a quarantine zone. Conspiracy theorist began raking up threads of information, one of which branding the quarantine as 'Operation Black Mesa' however like all half baked theories, they were quickly dismissed by the United States government.

As the months began to pass without incident it was not until the midst of February 2013 when the United Nations sanctioned a rather disturbing and controversial decision to construct massive concrete walls surrounding the entire continent of Equestria, the largest and longest man made structure to date much to the disgruntled protests of Ponykind all over the globe.

This once again drew hundreds if not thousands of questions, accusations and conspiracies following March 15th, the day Ponies erupted into mobs of anarchy, spreading riots and chaos all over Washington, London and several more major cities a month after bill was passed. Once again, all fingers were pointed to A.E.G.I.S as suspicions continued to loom with the government's issuance of an indefinite suspension of business to the corporation. Within a week, their stock prices plummeted leaving thousands of employees jobless and the corporation in a HR nightmare.

As the investors and stock holders attempted to salvage whatever bits and scraps they could muster before turning tail like rats off a burning barge. Within a month, A.E.G.I.S declared bankruptcy and soon faded into the halls of economic shame along with other fallen economic titans such as the likes of Enron. However the question still remains, what happened on that day? Why were they trying to silence any bloke with the audacity to question? What happened in Equestria that has gotten the governments of the world piss scared at the very mention of the incident?

_Just what were they trying to hide?_

Jessica took another sip of her coffee but unfortunately burned her tongue the moment the phone rang again. "Oh God dammit!"

Snarling, she trampled off in the direction of her phone and picked it up furiously. "Damien you fucking blighter! Calling me like a fucking idiot day in and day out won't make it go any… Darla? Is that you?"

"Jessica? Whoa, you sound pissed. Damien got your flank over a bonfire again?" came the voice from the other end of the cordless phone.

One would assume that the Darla in question was human however she was actually a pony, a unicorn to be more precise. Native to North Dakota, she migrated to New York city as a fashion writer, no surprise judging by the pen and paper on her rump as a cutie mark. All in all, she was Jessica's best mate and colleague down at the Daily Sentinel.

"You don't know the half of it Darla, now he's threatening to have me fired and probably have my backside FedExed back to London by week's end" Jessica said.

"Oh horseapples, does he even know that the only reason anybody or anypony for that matter are even bothering to read half of that over commercialized crap in that paper is cause of your articles,"

"Well I would be rather irresponsible to say I did not bring this upon myself. After all I did promise him a breakthrough, if it pulls through, the paper would be selling faster than cupcakes out of Sugarcube Corner,"

"Oh you mean from your lead? How did that go?"

Jessica nervously proceeded to scratch the back of her head. "Um, I am still working on that,"

"Uh huh… are you serious Jessica! You've been at this for two months and you still can't convince your lead to give up the good stuff?"

"I know, I know! Jesus Darla, you are not making this any easier on me you know that? She is a stubborn coot I can tell you that much," said Jessica as she leaned her back against the wall.

There was a sigh on the other end of the receiver but it was not long before the natural perkiness in her voice returned. "You know what, you're stressed. What you need is some girl time, how bout you meet me down at the mall this afternoon?" she asked.

A small yet comforting smile took shape on Jessica's lips. "That sounds wonderful, thank you Darla," she said.

"Hey, what are best friends for?"

_TING-TONG!_

Jessica raised her eyebrow to the sound of the doorbell as her gaze was shifted to the dark maroon door next to her kitchen.

_It's a little early for mail now isn't it?_

"Darla, could you please… hold for a moment?" she inquired before making her way to the door, resting the receiver down on the marble countertop.

Cautiously, she wrapped her hand tightly on the brass doorknob, swallowing hard she could feel the very beating of nervous stricken her heart echo in her eardrums. Her mind helplessly overwhelmed by the thoughts of men and ponies in black suits black bagging every poor soul in sight that had the courage to question and speak out regarding the incident, just like they do in those B rated spy flicks.

_Calm down Jessica, you're just overreacting… nothing is going to happen. Nothing…_

Hues of baby blue shifted to the metal rod in the cylindrical umbrella stand lying next to the door. She swallowed hard once again, her mind overriding all rational thoughts against the impulse she grabbed hold of the rod. Finding a small sense of security in the chain lock that held her door in place, she twisted the doorknob and pulled back on the door.

The loud creaking of the brass joints were frightening, sending unwanted chills down her spine. Jessica waited, watching the door as it stood ajar as if expecting a person's hand to make a grab for her or stick some bolt cutters in an attempt to force their way through. However when chaos failed to rear its ugly head, Jessica took a moment or two to gather her wits. Swallowing hard for one last time, she dared herself to take a peek and found that there was no one in the hallway.

_What in blue blazes?_

She begun searching for any trace of life but it was not until she caught sight of something on the bottom of the door did her confusion begin to escalate. It was simple wrapped parcel with her name scribbled crudely in permanent marker, almost as if it had been written in a hurry. The young lady was astonished to say the least but she proceeded put away the metal rod before unhooking and opening her door.

Though she may be apprehensive, she picked up the parcel in her arms and carried it inside. Her mind was made frantic by the plagues of questions coated in a hint of suspicion, what could be inside? Was it a bomb? Were there people out to get here?

In an attempt to distract her from her paranoia, she placed the parcel down by the counter and picked up the phone. "Jessica? Where were you?"

"Oh nowhere, sorry, someone left a parcel at my door," Jessica replied. Then came a rather unexpected raunchy snigger from the other end of the phone. "And pray tell, just what are you sniggering about?"

"Seems that you have a secret admirer," said Dalia. "Oh trample off, you are so immature," Jessica snapped.

Her eyes rested on the burnish parcel while hesitation continued to play on her psyche. The last thing she desired was end up an unfortunate casualty of some deranged terrorist with a fetish for walls painted with the remains of their victims. The young lady shook her head before reaching for the parcel as she began to unwrap it, slowly, carefully, spending every moment on high alert for trip wire or a mechanism of some sort but in the end, what she found was far from threatening.

_A letter?_

Raising a curious eyebrow she began to open the letter, her eyes running through the contents written in black ink.

_Dear Ms Burns,_

_Please forgive me for not having delivered this in person for as you can see, I am not a very brave person and I could only wish that I possess even a hint of the courage and determination that you have shown when you walked through my front door those weeks ago._

_I would also like to apologize for my acrimony and animosity, it has been dreadfully rude and inappropriate of me but you must understand that I have my reasons. I have always been wary of reporters and journalist for I had always considered them nothing but salivating snakes with forked tongues looking to twist the truth in ways that will only be beneficial to their own._

_However I have been considering what you said since your last visit, about the incident, about the lies. Although I may have drawn the initial conclusion that you were just like the rest but I noticed there was something different about you. Your eyes, they were like his, clear, honest and truthful and because of that I have come to believe that you will keep to your promise._

_I have protected the contents of this box with my very life for the past three years; rest assured that you will find everything you need to know inside. It was no easy task having to deal with the constant visits from anonymous federal agents both humans and ponies alike. Ms Burns, I have been threatened countless times with treason and a number of other atrocities should I fail to surrender any evidence to them in regards to the incident. _

_But as persistent as they were, I was unfazed. Regardless, I do not have to explain to you the gravity of having something as dangerous as this in your possession. As of now I cannot guarantee your safety, they are watching, they will always be watching and it will only be a matter of time before they come for you, just as they came for him and soon for me _

_This may be the last time you hear from me and I humbly ask of you to not look for me. I am sorry that you must now shoulder this burden but if there is anyone was capable of telling his story to the world, it would be you. It was like he once said to me 'To see the light, sometimes one must risk the dark'. Unfortunately I have nothing more to give you except my gratitude and hopes, thank you Ms Burns and I wish you all the best._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Maria Rosa_

It took a fair amount of time for the contents of the letter to actually sink in, this was it, this was what she has been waiting for. A cocktail of mixed feelings swirled like the contents of a martini, surprise, fear, anxiety, she could not put a finger on it for the time being.

All she felt were the chills running down the length of her spine the moment she reached out and opened the top end of the cardboard box. There she caught but a glimpse of its contents.

"Jessica! Heloooo? You there?" the voice from the phone immediately dragged her back to her senses.

"Oh Delia, sorry I was caught up with something," she said

"Alright then, so I'll see you at the mall?"

Jessica bit her bottom lip. "Actually… I'm going to have to take a rain check"

"What? But I thought you said-"

"I know but something just came up, I'll make it up to you I promise," said Jessica nervously.

"Oooo, fine, I'm holding you to that. Catch you later hon,"

"See you soon," she then hung up the phone.

Her nervous gaze returned to that of the package and without a moment to spare, she raced to her door, locking it firmly before heading to each and every one of her windows, pulling the thick blinds over them. Once again, the apartment was engulfed in a blanket of darkness, illuminated only by the dim amber fluorescence of a petit lamp resting on a nearby shelf.

In truth she hated the darkness but she would rather be intimidated by the chilling insecurities of darkness rather than the blackness of a black bag over her head as she is carted away to an undisclosed location by a group of nameless men.

She then proceeded to grab the package and place it firmly on the coffee table. Frantically, she took a seat on the couch and began unraveling its contents although the very first object removed did draw a curious eyebrow.

_What on earth, a cassette player? Blimey do people still use these?_

Placing it on the polished translucent surface of the table before removing several more of what appears to be a series of cassette tapes, each marked with a specific number from the numbers zero to twelve. She swallowed hard, her eyes shifted to the likes of the player and the cassettes and immediately drew a certain sense of hesitation. Does she really want to know what is on those tapes? Knowledge can be both powerful and dangerous, especially when they regard matters that are not of your concern.

Jessica drew a deep breath as she clenched her teeth, getting to her feet she freed a socket for the cassette player before reaching for the first tape.

_Here it is, tape zero, I guess we'll start this…_

She could feel her fingers tremble, the uncomfortable sweatiness of her palms even chills running through her nerves causing her hairs standing on end as she removed the jet black cassette from its plastic casing. For a brief moment she noticed how worn and tattered the tape actually was for it was littered with scratches and dings. She then slid the tape into cassette player just as nervous hues of baby blue narrowed on the play button and just like before, the voice of reason began whispering to her better judgment.

The trembling grew worse as her heart caught in a battle of fear against curiosity began to race. There she was barely an inch away from the truth at hand as minutes begin to tick by. She knew of the impending doom that would arrive at her doorstep with the knowledge that was on this tape and the consequences that will be more than she could bear. No, she could end this right now, end the fear, end it all, all she had to do was destroy it. Yes, some lighter fluid would do the trick she thought through quick drawn breaths.

However as she turned to the corkboard before her eyes, all the thoughts from before had begun to fade. All that work, the countless nights of research, interviews and the merciless ridicule and empty threats all in her crusade for the truth. Through the fires of devastation, the protests, the violence that had torn the very illusion of peace apart are now being held together by the staples of lies. The people deserved to know the truth and so did the ponies. Her eyes narrowed, drawing one final breath, she hit the play button.

The red light on the player came to life, there was a soft buzz at first and no sooner than that, she heard a voice of a man she deduced was no older than 28. However what gripped her inside was sense of forlorn and despair in his voice. She clasped her hands together as she listened.

_I do not know if this tape would reach the hands of anyone or anypony or my words to be heard or believed but I do not care, it is my only way of ensuring that the souls I left behind in Equestria will not fade into the shadows. It is only a matter of time before the United States government attempts to erase all connections and knowledge to the incident and when they do, they will come for me, they will come for this. So whoever you are, if you are listening to this, then you have found the last shred of truth in a world about to be drowned in an ocean of lies and deceit._

_I bet by now you must be wondering, who am I? My name is Dr Alex Jensen, I was born on a farm in Arcadia, Oklahoma in 1985. My father was a Marine in the core and my mother was a waitress at a local diner in the nearby town. I don't remember much of my childhood but I did remember the rain, the warmth of the sun, the peace and innocence that my heart would never come to know again._

_It was March of 2003 when my father was sent for active duty in Afghanistan, as a result my mother resorted to working two extra jobs to help put my sister and I though school and keep the farm running, I was only 18. A year later my father was sent home, apparently his platoon was caught in an ambush on the outskirts of Baghdad and he was the only survivor. Doctors called him lucky, depends on the definition of luck._

_A stray grenade had blown half his face off, to a point so severe that not even the best surgeons would agree to attempt to put what was left back together. I will never forget the day he came home, how terrified I was, how I couldn't stand to so much as glimpse at the mere sight of him. My mother threw out all the mirrors or a glossy object in the house but that did nothing and in his depression, like a typical has been soldier, my father took to the bottle. _

_Every night I could swear I hear the Devil in his voice, the screams and pleas of my mother, I knew what was happening. There were nights when I used to curl my fists, grit my teeth, my mind would wonder to the shotgun mounted above the fireplace as I contemplated putting him out of his misery. At times I would muster the courage to face my mother, begging, pleading for her to seek out the sheriff but to my aggravation she would always defend him… I never understood why. _

_A year had passed before I was granted a scholarship to Harvard to further my studies in microbiology and virology. It was… hard to leave my mother behind, my sister had long left to Manehattan but a part of me could no longer bear those soulless barren walls, not with him around. My father's drunken existence went on for three more years then June 7__th__ 2007, no longer having the courage to face his demons, on, he took the shotgun to his head. I still remembered the day the Dean called me to his office._

_My mother was distraught but deep down inside, I felt no pity, no remorse for the waste of life that I had the shame to call father. However she came to pass several months later, doctors called it an effect of delirium and severe depression. The funeral was no different, hypocrites the lot of them with their half hearted condolences. It wasn't long before my sister and I sold the farm and upon graduation, she moved to Seattle and I moved to New York._

There was a slow pause in the tape, nothing but the crackles of the microphone and the feint sounds of breathing echoed through the walls of the apartment. And then…

_I spent a year or two working at a biotechnology corporation known as In-Gen,I suppose I can call myself blessed having climbed high above the corporate ladder in such a short amount of time. Yes, it was one of the most important moments of my life but not just because of my career but that was also the time I met… her. Maria, Maria Constantina Rosa. Heh, I remembered her, the way she walked, the way she smiled, her beautiful hazel eyes, silky brown locks and skin like velvet. One thing led to another, we fell in love and we moved in to a small apartment down in Brooklyn._

_I remember the three years we spent together, those were the happiest days of my life. But the world we knew continued to deteriorate as more and more terminal illnesses and disease continued to ravage both mankind and ponykind. It wasn't long before we fell on hard times when In-Gen went bankrupt due to a series of embezzlement scandals. Years of work, all dwindled to nothingness… I have never felt so angry in so long. But knowing that she was there, feeling her gentle embrace and sweetness of her kiss, that warmth and assurance was the only thing that kept me going._

_Then one day, on November 18__th__ 2010, Maria and I were visited by a most unlikely person. Immediately I recognized him from the news, Dr. Ian McConnell,_ _one of the world's most prominent figures in the world of medicine. We talked and against all known odds, he offered me a chance of a lifetime. To be part of a top secret project funded by the world's largest bioengineering pharmaceutical_ corporation_ A.E.G.I.S. I wasn't given much info, except they were working on a universal serum, one that would cure all sicknesses or diseases that plagued all man and ponykind._

_And quote unquote, I will be compensated exponentially for my work and my contributions. However, it came with a catch, doing this would mean leaving New York, transferred to an underground facility in Equestria and the worst was yet to come, the offer was only extended to me which would mean leaving Maria behind. I was reluctant at first, I wasn't a good traveler, hated saying goodbye; hated putting my life in other people's hands but Maria convinced me otherwise._

_She knew that if I took this offer, my life would change, our lives would change. We would finally be out of the red, probably even a chance to finally settle down and raise a family, a brand new start. Maria, she has given her all to me and I promised myself that I would give her the life she deserved and so I said yes. Huh… my life changed alright, but not how I imagined. I will never forget the last thing she said to me… "Come home soon mi amor', come home safe,"_

_Within a week I was on board a plane bound for Filliedelphia, throughout the entire flight I assured myself, this project has been sanctioned by the United States government and the Royal House of Equestria, heh, what would go wrong? I guess I should have seen the signs when I was picked up at the airport by a military escort. The grueling journey took us right through Canterlot and eventually into the dark forbidden area of Equestria where even the very name made all Ponies cringe and shudder with fear, the Everfree Forest._

_We were taken to a state of the art underground facility deep within the Everfree, the security was intense. Never have I seen so many soldiers draped in riot gear and armed to the teeth. it was there I spent the next year and a half working with a group of scientists, biologists and even virologists made of both humans and ponies on what was codenamed 'Project Pandora'. It was the creation of an artificial gene which amplifies a body's immune system, I should have seen it coming, I should have read the signs but I was blinded by my excitement even more so by my curiosity. I wanted to see this through as much as my colleagues genuinely believing that I was actually doing some good in this world._

_After multitudes of tests, we began achieving what some would deem 'tampering with the realms of God'. The gene worked well, maybe a little too well, dispelling any form of cancerous matter through the revival of dead and expired cells. We have done it; we have perfected the serum and a cause to celebration. Everyone was excited, ecstatic for the serum was ready its first human testing. It was May 13__th__2012 when they brought in their first subject, a thirty four year old white male Caucasian suffering from Parkinson, his name was Albert Jones. Everyone had their fingers crossed as they watched the doctors administer the serum._

_The first couple of minutes showed little to response but as the subject began showing a positive reaction to the serum, there were smiles on everyone's faces and within minutes, it seems that all symptoms related to Parkinson's had vanished. I have never felt so relieved, so happy, at long last I could finally be done with this. Everyone spoke of the good it would bring, the Nobel prizes headed their way but all I could think about was going home to her, to Maria. But then… _

Jessica jumped at the sudden abrupt sounds of shattered glass the clattering of several metallic items in the background. The man drew quick but deep breaths as if he had just recalled something too horrifying to put in words. A minute or two went by before he continued.

_Oh God… I don't think I could ever forget the screaming, that horrible, horrible screaming. The subject went absolutely berserk, screaming at the top of his lungs, clawing his fingernails into his very flesh, ripping, tearing chunks from his arms like a rabid animal with his teeth… as if… as if something was eating him from the inside. There was blood everywhere, so much blood… the doctors tried to subdue him but not before he had ripped his very tongue out with his own hands. Within minutes, he fell to the floor, flat lining on the heart monitor._

_I've never felt so sick, so disturbed in my life, so much I emptied my lunch all over the observatory floor. I can't even begin to describe the shock I was in and I could say the same for everyone else as the body was wheeled away but Dr Ian assured us that this was an unfortunate accident and we would continue to perfect it. To have put everyone's mind at ease, he told us to take the day off. I didn't sleep a wink that night, I couldn't… the image of the dying man kept playing like B rated snuff flick in my head but eventually my weariness got the better of me and I soon fell asleep._

_When I came to, I awoke to the blaring sounds of a siren and flashing lights, I didn't know what was going on, only that the facility was in chaos. There was smoke and fire everywhere, screams of fear and panic filled hallways. I was scared, lost and confused but one thing was clear, I had to get out…_

_ I will have no doubt that the government will try silence anyone with any information regarding to what on that day. I am sure by now they have already deceived the people of the world with their lies and deceit but regardless of what they had told you, what really happened can be found in these twelve tapes. _

_They record in detail, my experiences over the next twelve hours as I attempted to escape the continent of Equestria. I know there is no way that I can convince you that this is not a hoax or yet more trickery from those who seek to delude you. I will leave that judgment to you…_

_ My name is Dr Alex Jensen, and these are my tapes._

[Please insert Tape 1…]


	2. Pandorum: Tape One

Pandorum: The Lost Tapes

Written by Notorious/Jack Anarchy

[Tags:Grimdark, Violence, Tragedy, Horror]

The Lost Tapes: Tape 1 [Escape from A.E.G.I.S]

Location: A.E.G.I.S Facility Date: May 16th2012 Duration: 7.00pm-8.00pm

I awoke to the shrieks of the sirens and the blaring of the alarm resonating through the metallic walls of my room. Shivering from the cold again against my sweat drenched body and even with eyes wide awake I sought to soothe my racing heart having been torn away barely moments ago from a most horrible nightmare. What time is it? I cursed my clinical anxiety and my confounded medication. Ever since I was put on prescription, loss of time had become a rather common side effect I had to put up with. The boisterous clatter of panic stricken feet behind my door did draw reason for suspicion but when I heard the unmistakable sounds of terror fueled screams that changed everything.

Alarmed, I climbed out of bed only to stumble clumsily to the ground the moment my shaky knees gave way. In my blunder I had knocked over my bottle of pills but I paid those insufferable narcotics no mind. I quickly made a beeline for the doorway but not before throwing on my black t-shirt I had hanging from the top of my chair. Already I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins having heard more screams from further down the hallway. Without a moment to spare, I slammed on the controls that led to the door and within a series of mechanical grindings the door slid open.

ARGH! I cried, shielding my eyes from the blazing flames sweeping through the corridor. I gagged and coughed having regretfully filling my lungs with a breath of smoke.

Everything was in ruins, the walls were torn and in flames while pieces of scrap metal and exposed wires littered the walkway. What was going on? Who or what could have done this? How long have I been asleep? Those were the very first questions that played on my mind. I wiped the tears from my eyes as I struggled to get my bearings through the smog. However the moment I stepped out of the room, I gasped for a brief moment for the bottom of my shoe had lost all sense of traction.

Fortunately I was able to catch myself just moment before, looking down to investigate on the strange slick on the floor and almost instantly I felt my blood run cold, petrified from the very sight a human body dressed in a tattered lab coat laying a bright pool of crimson. Refusing to let the cold fingers of fear get the better of me, I dropped to my knees and immediately shook the man for any sign of life.

Hey! Hey can you hear me? Are you alright? Are you- I paused, swallowing hard I move to my fingers to his neck to check his pulse, gasping silently when I realized that there was none he was gone.

But my fears were far from over as I shift my sights to end of the hallway as the smoke began to dissipate, feeling a lump in my throat the moment I laid eyes on myriad of other bodies both human and pony illuminated in the shimmering red lights illuminating the semi-lit hallways. I covered my mouth both from the shock and desperation of holding myself back from emptying whatever that was left in my stomach.

This was it, I do not know what was going on but my instincts made it clear I had to get out of there by whatever means necessary. Without a moment to spare, I got to my feet and took off down the hallway, desperately trying to recall the bits and pieces of what had been shared during the safety briefing, cursing myself for not having paid more attention. I tried my best to advert my eyes at the lifeless corpses as I hustled on by. Blood was everywhere, on the glass panes, on the walls, pouring from some of the ghastliest wounds on their mutilated bodies. It was almost something had ripped and torn chunks from their very flesh, wounds I used to recall found on livestock back on the farm as a result of coyote attacks but right now that was of no concern.  
>My frantic footsteps took me down the desolated hallway, getting faster and faster every time I my eyes connected with the dull, lifeless look of another staring back at me as if envying the very heart that beats in my chest. In my frantic need to escape, this place had become a maze, feeling my frustration begin to escalate with every locked door or dead end. It certainly took me a good while before I arrived at the elevator. The living quarters were located on the tenth floor and I needed to get to ground level, I shifted my eyes to the elevator controls before slapping the button that would lead me to ground level.<br>But it did nothing for the button remained blank and unlit. Come on I said, almost pleading as I pressed it again, still nothing. Come on! I hit the button again, this time again and again. COME ON! WORK GOD DAMNNIT! I cursed my luck, of all the days for the elevators to be out of commission but I was far from giving up. I calculated on the chances I could have with the elevators on the other end, it was a long shot but a chance no matter how slim seemed like a better option than being entombed on this floor for the rest of eternity. The metallic clanging of my feet against the metal floors as I took off yet again echoed through the barren hallways was eerie enough to send chills down the back of my spine.  
>Alfred, Bunsen, Darren, it seemed like only yesterday we were exchanging our hearties congratulations, our dreams and we had hoped to do when we were finally allowed to leave. Alfred wanted to retire and open a spa, Bunsen wanted to move back to Fillydelphia and start a pharmacy, Darren only wished that he could be there for his daughter s sixth birthday. I on the other hand wanted nothing more than to be with my beloved Maria. Where were they now? What could have happened to them? Did they get out? I gritted my teeth, keeping my fingers crossed they were fortunate ones to have escaped the facility the moment the alarms went off.<br>I made my way through the various twists and turns, once again in my anxiety and discomposure I found myself messing up even the simplest of directions. In my haste, I headed further down south in the direction of the elevator, sighing in relief the moment I caught sight of the metallic doors in the distance. However, I was about half way through when I had caught something on the corner of my eye causing me to slide to a halt at the junction of what led into yet another corridor. It was an outline of pony obscured by the smoke and for a moment I allowed myself to breathe easy for I was suddenly overwhelmed by the thought that I may not be the only one alive on this floor. Hello! I cried after him.  
>My call went unreturned, at first thought perhaps I was too far away, or maybe the sirens were drowning out the sounds of my voice and in my desire to be acknowledged, I went closer. Hey there! Man, am I glad to see you. I was beginning to think that I was the only one down here. What the Hell happened? I d just woken up and- I suddenly stopped in my tracks feeling the very warmth of my body instantly desert me the moment I realized something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.<br>Blood and all manner of sickly bodily fluids and what appeared to be pieces of flesh had begrimed the soft coat of earthly brown. There was a slow rumbling, almost growling entwined with the sickly sounds of salivating, chewing and slurping as if it was devouring something on the floor. Hough! Jesus Christ! I gagged and choked, immediately putting my hand to my face to ease myself of the putrid stench rotting flesh that had crept straight into my nostrils. However in my moment of disgust, I caught something that froze me to the core.  
>There were no words to describe the very shock that had surged through every inch of my psyche the moment my eyes caught sight of what it was eating. It was human corpse laying lifelessly on the floor and the pony in question had a good length of a man s small intestines in its mouth, taking in chunk after chunk, inch after inch as gurgling bits of blood dripped all over the metallic surface of the floor.<br>I counted my lucky stars that my presence had gone unnoticed despite my call but I had to get out of there before things take an unexpected swing for the worse. Step by step I began to back away nice and slow.  
>CRAAAAACK!<br>I gritted my teeth and curled my fists half caught in a hail of curses the moment I realized I had stepped on someone s unopened packet of cookies. It was then, I felt my eyes widened the moment I heard the growls grow heavier and deeper and as such, I returned my attention to the pony from before. It had turned to face me and my horror I caught a glimpse of what it looked like, half its face had been torn clear off, leaving only pieces of shredded, rotten flesh and an exposed skull and an eyeball with the other eye dangling freely by but a few nerves.  
>There were pieces of flesh missing all over its body, its front right hoof exposed, ribs, and chunks from the neck. What the Hell? How could this THING still be alive? It growled as a sickly concoction of blood and saliva drooled profusely from its upper jaw. Then without warning, it charged in my direction. Every fiber in my body fired off at the same time, caught in absolute panic I turned to run but unfortunately I was a moment too slow.<br>Like a tiger on the hunt the pony had pounced on me knocking me onto my back and in my frenzied attempt to defend myself, I moved my arm in the way. ARGH! I yelled, feeling the pony s powerful jaws come down on my arm. I never knew a pony could even bite this hard seeing how they were on a steady diet of all things green.  
>I cried and struggled as I fought to keep it as far as possible from my neck. It continued to snarl and growl, flinging its hooves in every direction in an attempt to crack my skull open. Then without thinking, I slammed my fist into the pony s face. Once, twice, pulling back yet again, I socked my knuckles right in the nostrils. I have no idea if whatever it was could still register pain but it worked the moment it released its hold on me. Gathering my strength, I curled my torso and slammed the sole of my sneaker right in the kisser.<br>As the pony stumbled backwards, dazed and discombobulated, I seized my chance, bracing myself as I slammed my legs it right into its chest. The force propelled it straight into the air and smack right into the metal floor several feet away. I quickly rushed to my feet but as I turned to run, the first sign of logic and reason took hold of me. There was no way I could outrun that thing, I saw how it moved, and it would take me down and rip me apart in seconds. I then frantically searched for something, anything that I could use to defend myself.  
>It was then I caught sight of the bright red emergency box mounted on the wall, more precisely the fire axe encased within it. I snapped my attention back to the pony, growling as it began to pick itself off the floor. Without a moment to loose, I shattered the glass with the butt of my elbow and ripped the axe from its hinges. Just in the nick of time as the pony charged yet again but this time I was ready for him.<br>I yelled at the top of my lungs, swinging the hooked end of the axe right into the pony s head. The pony groaned the moment the hook was embedded in its jaw, with all my strength I slammed it face first into the metallic wall, painting the very surface with a dark blotch of crimson. With all my strength, I twisted hard on the shaft of the axe followed by the sickening sounds of ripping flesh the moment I tore the very bottom jaw right off the pony s skull.  
>YARGH! I cried, watching the pony groan as it fell to the floor, choking on the gurgles of blood pouring from the ghastly wound but even then, it continued to kick and thrashed in an attempt to pick itself up. I took several deep breaths, each growing deeper and angrier then lost in a moment of dementia, I raised the axe into the air and right down on the Pony s neck. I felt the heavy blade slice through flesh and bone all in a single strike and just like that, the body went limp.<br>I panted, placing my hand over my rapidly beating heart. It took a while before the gravity of what I had done began to sink in. I felt my body shiver to the very core, trembling at the sight of a reality that I could not, would not accept. I ran my fingers over the surface of my cheeks the moment I felt the nauseating thickness of something tricking down my face. The sight of blood made me shift my attention to my hands, my shirt and the axe, all drenched all the same.  
>I hyperventilated, losing my hold of the axe the moment I took a tumble rump first to the floor the moment my knees gave way. This was all just a dream! This was all just a dream! It isn t happening! I kept yelling in the depths of my mind, hoping, praying that I could just open my eyes and free myself from this horrible nightmare however denial was but a fool s hope. Instinctively I reached into my back pocket and slipped out a photograph. Maria I stuttered, running my fingers gently over the glossy surface of the photograph I have come to hold most dear. Slowly but surely, I felt a sense of calm began to take over, looking into her beautiful eyes had always brought me a sense of comfort even when we were miles apart.<br>Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? I bit my bottom lip. I could not begin to contemplate the series of unfortunate events and bad decisions that had led me into this situation but what is past is past. This is my present and no matter how much of a shitstorm it is stirring out to be I certainly had no intention of leaving this place in a box.  
>The sudden gurgles of a growl half caught in a choke startled the living daylights out of me. ARRRGHHH! I cried, wide eyed the moment I had noticed the disembodied head of the pony was still very much alive. Almost instantly I stumbled to my feet and without a moment to rationalize, I slammed my foot into the severed head and kicked it right into the thickness of the smoke. I thought it was over, I thought the worst had come to pass but I was wrong.<br>I felt my heart jump the moment a series of growls, hisses, gurgles and moans echoed through the hallway had me shifting eyes in every possible direction. I could hear it as clear as day, the tapping of hooves and the scraping of leather soles across the metallic surface, whatever they were I feared they were not alone. The footsteps grew closer and closer and then like specters from the depths of the underworld they came from behind the curtain of smoke. It was then, all sense of rationality, thought or deduction abandoned me as pure terror took hold of me.  
>They were no ponies as a matter of fact they were human but if there were a time where they were human that time had long come to pass. There were two of them both draped in lab coats stained and begrimed with dried blood. Their skin looked pale and grey, as if the very life and warmth had been siphoned out of them with ghastly wounds littering their exposed appendages. Chunks of flesh were missing, some even to the bone, one of them was even missing his lips but what scared me the most was very look in their eyes. It was like my father used to say, that when man loses that glint of life in their eyes, it was a sign that the human soul had long parted with its prison of flesh.<br>They growled and hissed, salivating and drooling as if savoring the meal to come. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT. SHIT! I cursed, stumbling forward I wrapped my jittery hands around the hilt of the fire axe.  
>Even in my absolute discomposure, I refused to become the main entr e. I narrowed my eyes and charged head first like a bat out of Hell, tackling the one closest to me with my shoulder. It stumbled backwards but I wasted no time as I slammed the top end of the ax right into the nose hard enough to tear it right off. I then shifted my sights to the other, rushing forward as it attempted to grab me but I relieved it of its chance the moment I slammed the butt of the axe into its jaw.<br>I yelled at the top of my lungs both in anger and abhorrence, gripping the axe tightly in my hands I took a swing right at the neck. Once again I was covered in a splatter of blood, spitting out a lump of my saliva the moment I had tasted the bitter, metallic taste on my tongue. It snarled yet again, stretching its arms forward in a last effort attempt to ring my neck but I was ready, lifting my leg I slammed my foot right into the abdomen. The blow was sufficient enough to free the axe and sent it back first into the ground.  
>But as the other made a sudden lunge at me, I stepped backwards in the nick of time. Gritting my teeth yet again, I took aim at the arms outstretched. Lifting the axe, I hacked off the arm at the shoulder. It growled and snarled as if in pain, without wasting another second I took a swing into its neck, burying the blade half deep into both bone and flesh. It chocked and gurgled as blood spilled from its mouth but I was Hell bent on ensuring this thing stays dead. Bracing myself, I tore the axe from its now gaping wound and with all my strength, brought the axe up above me and brought it down on its blade hacked itself dead centre, stopping right in between the eyebrows and immediately it stopped moving. As I struggled to catch my breath, the sounds of more snarls and growls drew my attention to the cloud of smoke in front of me.<br>OH OH MY GOD! I cried, almost shrieking the moment three more humans and several ponies emerged from the smoke. I hastily gripped hard on the axe, ripping it out from its skull and leaving it to bowl down lifelessly to the floor.  
>Frantically, I retreated in an attempt to put some distance between us however within moments I found myself with my back against the wall. I tried to dart left to make a run for it but only to have a cry of fear escape me when I caught sight of more of those things lurching their way in my direction. I turned around and saw the doors to the elevator and for a brief moment I felt a small ray of hope as I took off towards it.<br>However any feeling of joy, relief and hope deserted me when elevator proved to be as useless as the previous one. FUCK! GOD DAMMIT! I backed myself against the door of the elevator, tightening my grip on the hilt as I watch them edge closer and closer. I never expect it to end like this, let it be a car accident, a stray bullet, an accident at the lab, not eaten alive by these THINGS. I took several deep breaths, helplessly forced to watch as those things took off into an all-out sprint. Swallowing hard I then raised my axe, taking a moment to close my eyes while I awaited my inevitable fate. Maria forgive me, However against all odds, the universe decreed it was not my time. It was then, I felt a sudden gust to my back of my neck just as I felt something grab me by the back of my T-Shirt. Then, without warning I was dragged violently back first into the chrome plates of the elevator. STAY DOWN BOY! came a most familiar voice. My hazel eyes shifted to an elderly man in his mid fifties, bald with a thin, short white beard standing right beside me, glaring through hostile eyes bent on murder as he cocked his shotgun. Dr Ian? He took aim and braced himself just as a pony had lunged itself in our direction, he then pulled on the trigger. BAM! The ear splitting shot boomed across the confined space, forcing me to throw my hands over my ears as I yelled. I had not heard a gunshot in ages, not since the days when my father used to take me out hunting in the woods. All manner of brain matter, bone fragments and various body parts were sent in every direction the pony s head exploded.

It was then another flung itself directly at us. AH HOLY SHIT! CLOSE IT! CLOSE IT! I screamed. Alarmed, Dr. Ian then slammed his fist on the control panel as the doors slid to close barely seconds before we heard a loud metallic thud against it. As the elevator began to move I took this rare moment of peace to both allow the adrenaline to come to pass and to attempt to make sense of it all.  
>Are you alright? Dr. Ian inquired. I turned to him half caught in a glare Alright? If you can define being almost viciously mauled by GOD KNOWS WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE, ALRIGHT? Yeah, yeah I m alright! I snapped.<br>Easy, easy the elderly man said before resting his shotgun against the wall and getting down to his knees. Now let s have a look at that, I flinched as he gently took my arm in his hands, studying the ghastly wound left behind by that Pony from before. A few moments had pass before he turned to me with eyes of concern, although a glint of fascination could be seen in those hues of baby blue. You were bitten he said.  
>I rolled my eyes at the rather obvious statement. Yes, I am well aware of that, I said.<br>And yet you haven t turned, the infected had started to show symptoms barely ten minutes upon being bitten and yet you re here as fit as a horse he said. Extraordinary I raised an eyebrow more so out of shock rather than curiosity. What!? Bitten? Infected? What the Hell are you talking about!? I cried, without warning I lashed out and grabbed him violently by the collar. Dr Ian what the fuck happened!? The elderly man was caught off guard but he shrugged and said I don t know Alex, that is the truth, I don t know, he said.  
>I felt the fires of anger began to die, letting go of his collar the moment I saw the look in his eyes, he was just as scared, terrified and confused as I was. I was working in the labs when they broke through, it all happened so fast and within minutes there were dozens of them I barely got to through the emergency elevators before everything went pear shaped, he said.<br>What of the others? I asked.  
>Dr Ian shrugged yet again. I don t know, I can only pray they made it out safely, You said they were infected, what did you mean by that? What are they? The man pushed the squared lenses of his glasses up the bridge of his nose. I ve had some time to study them from a distance, it appears that they possess the capabilities of infecting other life forms, turning them into one of their own, he said.<br>As for what they are I think you already know that, don t you my boy? he inquired as he turned to face me.  
>I felt a cold sweat trickle down the side of my face. No, it can t be they re creatures of myth, fiction, they can t exist! I cried.<br>And yet some of them had just tried to kill you I stumbled to my feet in a fit of panic induced rage. So what re you saying!? That those THOSE THINGS out there are are Zombies... undead, the walking, trotting dead, I ll leave you to stick with a more appropriate calling, said Dr. Ian.  
>There were no words to describe the thoughts in my head at the very moment. It was ludicrous, preposterous, I have lost count on the times where I had ridiculed and even criticized on the childish delusions that the world will end in the hands of the undead. Such drivel belongs in movies by Romero or written words in novels by Steven King or Max Brooks. I forced a chuckle at the hilarity of it all, how ironically cruel my life had turned out be. In anguish, a part of me contemplated suicide, a seemingly better and for the first time, logical option. Anything was better than ending up fodder for those four legged vegans from Hell.<br>Well there is no point in crying over spilt milk, like it or not we re caught smack dead in the middle of Satan s jamboree and it s up to us to find the exit, said Dr. Ian.  
>I took a deep breath before turning to face him. I assume you have a plan? I asked.<br>We have to get to my office, my files are on my computer and with it I can deduce a probable cause of this outbreak, he said.  
>My eyes widened at his proposition. Your office? As in the top floor? Have you lost your freaking mind, that place might be crawling with zombies! I protested.<br>I understand your concern Alex but unfortunately we have no choice, my office is the only place I can contact A.E.G.I.S headquarters for aid, he said as he reached for his back pocket.  
>I rubbed the back of my head in both frustration and annoyance at the doctor s point. As he then handed something in my direction, my eyes then fell on weapon clasped in his hand. It was handgun with a chrome finish, recognizing the model as a SIG-Sauer P220 Sport from the pages of one of my father s gun magazines he used to collect back in the day.<br>You know how to use one of these? he asked.  
>I took the gun from him before unhooking the magazine, inspecting the brass rounds contained within and once I was satisfied I slid the magazine back into the gun and pulled back on the slide, cocking a round into the chamber. I readied the gun in my hands, looking down the sights to ensure that it was properly aligned. Dr Ian merely watched but needless to say he was impressed. I am willing to bet my bottom dollar that this isn t the first time you ve handled a gun, he said.<br>I shrugged at the comment. My father, he thought me a thing or two back in the day, Ah yes, I believed you told me he was a Marine. It was a real shame what happened to him- That s all in the past and for the record I ve fired my share of guns before but never at an actual person living or dead, I snapped.  
>Dr Ian nodded. Whatever you do, never forget that it is either you or them. Hesitate for even split second and it just might be your last, he said, grabbing hold of his shotgun and cocked it, forcing out a blank red casing from the ejector port.<br>Third floor, a digital voice came from the elevator.  
>Never have the sounds of working gears and the brief metallic scrapings of an opening elevator door sound so daunting. Almost instantly I readied my gun and although I may not have any specialized training, I did my best to mirror the moves of the hard boiled police officers I had watched one too many times on silver screen. Even so, I could feel my fingers tremble as I walked into the open with Dr Ian right by my side, shotgun at the ready.<br>Here we go boy, stay close to me, said the elderly man.  
>The entire floor was in shambles, barely illuminated by the flickering florescent lights and the occasional sparks from the wires that had torn though the fiberboards on the ceiling. Shattered glass, tipped flower pots, boxes and all manner of office equipment littered the carpets that ran through the entire length of the hallway. I snapped my attention to every dark corner, influenced by my nervous instability that I would soon have untold savagery unleashed upon me by one of those things at any given time.<br>I hated the silence, I hated the very staleness and stillness of the atmosphere and further more I hated surprises. However when chaos failed to rear its ugly head, Dr. Ian flicked his hand, giving me the signal to move forward.  
>Watch my back and remember, no matter what happens don t open fire unless it is absolutely necessary and if you have to, make every shot count. We are low on ammunition and severely outnumbered, he said, taking the lead.<br>I merely nodded in acknowledgement ensuring that I kept as close to him as possible. My eyes kept wary of my surroundings for it was best to avoid the crackles and tinkles of broken glass both from the shattered florescent tubes and window panes. Never once did I lower my gun, ensuring I kept my finger firmly and may I add nervously on the trigger while we made our way down the dreary corridor. The old doctor took his precautions well, being doubly sure that no corner went unchecked before progressing. I raised a curious eyebrow, the way he moved even the way he handled that weapon all began to add to my suspicion that he was military trained but bridle small talk was quite inappropriate at this given time. It felt like an eternity had passed us by as we navigated through hallway, after hallway, taking turn after turn. I felt my teeth grind in irritation from constantly being on the edge of my seat, it was too quiet and the possibilities of walking into a straight up ambush kept playing on my mind like an incessant recording on a vinyl record.  
>Over here, keep a look out and cover me, said Dr Ian. I snapped back to attention upon receiving his orders, I was so preoccupied with my thoughts I failed to realize we had arrived at a metallic door on the other end of the floor. I kept my eye fixed on the down a dark hallway with my gun at the ready, solemnly swearing that I would I would riddle anything living andor dead that so much as moved.  
>The doctor tapped his card on the security panel next to the door and after a retinal scan and codes tapped upon the surface of a glass panel, the door opened. Come on, he said.<br>Welcome back Dr. McConnell, said a feminine cybernetic voice, resonating through the well sized office. This certainly wasn t my first visit to Dr Ian s office but I was most certainly astonished to see how everything had remained intact.  
>Dr Ian was pretty particular when it came to cleanliness and the order of things, which is why he kept his office constantly stacked and arranged to a point where one would deem him obsessively compulsive. The dark azure carpets on the floor, the wooden shelves, cabinets, even his work table had been kept as neatly as possible. A feat most commendable for a man who spends every second of his waking moment on his work, which was probably why I have never personally seen any photographs or mementos mounted on his wall other than his certificates.<br>S.I.R.I, please pull up all the files on the Pandora Project over the last seventy two hours, he ordered. Certainly Dr, one moment please, He placed the firearm on the table before reaching under it, lifting what appears to be a first aid kit. Placing it on the surface of the table, he slid it over in my direction. Here, clean that up, he gestured to the bite on my arm. You may be immune to whatever s infecting those things but you are certainly not immune to other infections, gangrene for starters, he said before taking a seat on the large leather chair, frantically tapping on the plastic keys of his keyboard. I scoffed silently, unamused by him stating the facts but he was right. I placed the gun on the table before removing all the necessities I needed to take care the wound, starting with the alcohol. There was a twist in my gut now that I had time to properly study the extent of the damage left behind. Frankly I never had a strong stomach for these sorts of things which inevitably led to my current career choice. Unscrewing the plastic cap over the bottle, I began pouring the alcohol over the open wound and instantly every single nerve in my body went into overdrive. Shit, I had forgotten how much that stuff stings but I needed to clean the wound before I could dress it but as I worked on bearing with the searing pain, I kept my eyes on Dr. Ian. He went over every line, every chart and every diagram that appeared on his screen as minute after agonizing minute began to tick by.  
>Found anything? I asked, putting the finishing touches on the bandage around my can tell I had been impatient by the tone of my voice but he merely shook his head a little at a loss for words.<br>I- I can t find anything, he replied.  
>My eyes narrowed as I fought the sudden urge to once again grab him by his collar and shake the living daylights out of him. What do you mean you can t find anything? Run it again! my voice now stern.<br>I am telling you boy, I have checked every single data that might grant us clues to what happened. Heck I even checked the serum almost a dozen times but there is nothing out of the ordinary, he slipped off his glasses before massaging his temple. Alex, perhaps we should consider the possibility that this outbreak may not have originated from this facility, he added.  
>I shrugged in complete disbelieve, for a moment I had thought we could have located the source of it all and perhaps finally shed some light on the situation. I paced myself to the nearest window that overlooked the dark hallway before leaning my forehead onto its glossy surface. Immediately I felt the coldness bite into the very nerves of my skin, hoping that it would help me clear my head.<br>But if it did come from the outside then- I said Wait said Dr. Ian, cutting me off the moment he caught sight of something on the screen. Slipping his glasses back on, he returned to tapping on the keyboard, his frantic fingers moving faster and faster as if something had spooked the living daylights out of him. Then suddenly he stopped dead, leaping to his feet as he pushed the chair violently to the back.  
>Oh dear Christ he said almost gasping, his hand on his mouth from the shock.<br>I returned my attention to the doctor upon hearing the loud thud of the chair against the wall. Dr. Ian? I asked, I have never seen him so scared in my life.  
>I was wrong, it didn t come from the outside. It is us we did it The s-serum, it oh my God What? WHAT!? What happened? What is it!? I yelled, letting my impatience get the better of me.<br>We caused this boy! Us! The gene, the serum that is the cause of the infection, no that IS the infection! he said.  
>Almost instantly I felt my blood run cold, the sudden dryness in my throat and even the brief clatter of my teeth. What? No, no it can t be! The gene was perfect, you said so yourself! I KNOW I DID, damn Rosewater, damn him to Hell, I told him that it wasn t ready but he insisted that we go through with the test or risk having our funding revoked. This is my fault, I should never have let this happen! he said.<br>I rushed to the computer to study what was on the screen, reading word for word what was on the open windows. Words like evolved , volatile and even contagious made my heart skip a beat, it certainly took a few minutes for me to deduce the cause and the severity of this unexpected realization.  
>You see boy, we designed it as aid the body to fight off infections and illnesses however when it comes to cancer, the serum was meant to destroy all cancerous matter and revive dead and damaged cells caused by the illness, said the doctor.<br>But from the simulation data on that file, it is no longer just a serum or a vaccine. Somehow it has evolved into something else I shot him a hostile gaze. Evolved doctor? Did it really evolve or was it never a serum to begin with? I beg your pardon? Dr. Ian asked, alarmed and appalled at the same time.  
>Tell me doctor, is this really a serum or did you and A.E.G.I.S had us working on sort of biological weapon the past two years!? IT WAS! How could you even suggest such an outlandish thing!? I bioengineered it myself, the development of artificial genomes to strengthen the immunity systems of both humans and ponies, Dr. Ian lashed.<br>But now it is different, take a look he said, directing my attention to the monitor. With a few taps on the keyboard, a video began to play.

As we know, the gene can only properly function by consuming the dead cells in a body in order to produce its energy to revive them. This is supposed to be minimal with no short or long term side effects to the patient.  
>But with this newly evolved gene, it attacks and consumes even the healthy cells and as such the rapid breakdown of cells leads to the gradual breakdown of the host, causing necrosis. Then somehow it incorporates itself into the patient s DNA and substantially alters it, he said I felt my eyes widen from the shock. You mean this thing eats you up from the inside out and takes over you? I inquired.<br>To put it crudely, yes and according to the data at hand and my observation, I can deduce that this causes all higher brain functions to be destroyed. Inevitably this leaves only the cerebellum to govern behavior. As such this leaves an infected host with a very animalistic behavior governed only by instincts, But it still doesn t explain their savage nature and their need the need to feed off the living, I argued.

I thought you might say that but I have a theory, see as it continues to spread, it damages the hypothalamus. In turn this produces a massive flood of neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones such as norepinephrine and dopamine. These effects, combined with the painful symptoms of the initial infection, induces psychotic rage, persistent hunger, and increased aggressiveness in those infected, he said.  
>Of course, it made sense but it certainly brought no relief or peace to my state of mind. Even then, one question remains to be answered. Where and when did it all start? The infection I mean, Dr Ian nodded, S.I.R.I, gather the security feeds from three days ago. Scan for any suspicious activity, I want eyes on every floor, he said.<br>Acknowledged, one moment please, Soon, the screen was filled a number of video feeds. The hallways were peaceful, nothing but the sights of security personnel making their usual rounds around the facility. There were no suspicious activities but I did detect elevated stress levels on Level Fourty My eyes widened Level forty? Isn t that where the quarantine area is? Yes, the quarantine area and the morgue. S.I.R.I, when did this happen? Dr. Ian inquired.  
>Approximately 10.15am, May 13th 2012, further information is unretrievable due to a system malfunction on the stated floor, I swallowed hard at the mention of the date. Three days? Those drugs had numbed me into a chemically induced coma for three whole days while the world around me descended into the apocalypse? I debated the on the possibility of counting myself lucky? No, actually far from it, in fact at that point in time I was thoroughly convinced that God had an awful sense of humor.<br>10.15? That s an hour after that that happened, I added, shifting my gaze to the elderly doctor.  
>Dr Ian rubbed his chin in thought. Bring up the video feeds of the morgue at that time, Very well Dr. I watched a window appeared on the computer monitor displaying security footage of the morgue in grayscale. I shivered at the thought of just being in there surrounded by lifeless corpses, thanking my lucky stars I was never authorized or ordered to go down there personally. Everything was still and empty but as two doctors entered the frame, I began to take notice. They were wheeling a body into the room covered by a cloth drenched in blood. Needless to say I recognized the poor sorry soul lying lifelessly on that metal stroller.<br>They placed him next to the medical table which I assumed their intentions were to study whatever remains of their patient. As they moved to the sink next to the medical table in preparation for the autopsy, I caught a short glimpse of the cloth begin to move. I swore my heart stopped then and there the moment the corpse sat itself up, climbing off the metal bed and onto its own two feet. The video had no sound but I could almost hear the terrified screams of the two doctors the moment they laid eyes on their undead patient.  
>He looked just like the rest of them, grizzly and horrendous, salivating as if in savory of the sweetness of human flesh. Then like a savage beast, he sprinted across the room, climbing over the autopsy tables and right at the doctors who made a desperate sprint for the elevator. Whatever became of those doctors was left out of frame as utensils and medical equipment was flung all over the room. I had to avert my eyes from the video, cursing my imagination for trying to fill in the gaps with my active imagination.<br>A few minutes had passed when all of a sudden, one of the doctors miraculously slipped away from the carnage, holding his hand against an apparent bite wound to his neck as he escaped. Immediately Dr. Ian paused the video. There! he exclaimed.  
>Albert Jones, so he was patient zero and that doctor was how the infection began, I said.<br>Exactly, he must have sought help from the medical department oblivious to what he was carrying the Dr Ian paused.  
>I knew what he was going to say but it was too hard, too painful to admit it but he had to face the facts.<br>Virus, as I have mentioned earlier is transmissible by direct fluids, more accurately saliva. My Lord, he must infected dozens in the first couple of hours alone, Dr. Ian added.  
>Then tell me, why wasn t I infected? I was bitten for Christ s sake, I said.<br>Dr. Ian ran his hand down his face. I don t know but I had to guess, I would say that prolonged but minimal exposure to the virus over a certain period of time would have caused your body to naturally develop antigens to counter the effects, he answered. This would mean that you and the rest of the team including myself are naturally immune to the virus, I snapped my attention to the doorway the moment I heard something move outside. We may be immune but we certainly aren t immortal. We need to get out of here, we need to get out of Equestria, I said, reaching for my handgun.  
>Right, S.I.R.I, patch me through to A.E.G.I.S headquarters now, said the seasoned doctor Patching you through, It was not long before we heard a voice on the other end of the line. Good evening, you have reached A.E.G.I.S headquarters, unfortunately our office hours are- Voice recognition Doctor Ian McConnell, code tree fife niner niner zero seven, acknowledge, he said.<br>Acknowledged, welcome Dr. Ian McConnell, I am declaring Code Red, implement Spero protocol and requesting an immediate evac at rendezvous point, Acknowledged, we will arrive at the evac point at seven hundred and fourty hours. As agreed, should you fail to arrive at the appointed time, you will be left behind, Roger that, over and out, said Dr Ian as the com went dead.  
>He then turned to me. Set your watch boy, seven forty am I quickly turned to my watch, setting the appointed time. Seven forty which would give us roughly twelve hours. Alright, we have our ticket out, let s get moving, I said, signaling him to the door.<br>But the doctor had other plans; making his way to the computer he proceeded to remove what appears to be a flash drive from his pocket before slotting the one inch device into its appropriate slot. S.I.R.I, copy all the files relating to Project Pandora into my flash drive, he ordered.  
>Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing? I asked more appalled than surprised.<br>Alex, I have to save my research. My entire life s work is on that drive, he replied.  
>The Hell? Fuck the research, we don t have time for this, those things might be coming our way right now! I cried.<br>Don t you think I know that boy!? But right now this is bigger than the both of us. With my research perhaps I can discover what went wrong He paused for a moment, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Perhaps perhaps I can find a cure and undo what we ve done, I gritted my teeth and scoffed, I didn t like the idea but he made a valid point. Fine, make it quick and I ll keep a lookout, I said as I hurried to the door, carefully looking out the doorway for any signs of movement.  
>The minutes began to tick by and every ever passing second my anger born of restlessness was beginning to mount. It was unnerving more precisely nerve wreaking to be haunted by what you cannot see, knowing that these things were somewhere out there shrouded within blackness, watching, waiting, salivating just craving to tear into your flesh and rip out your still beating heart. Even then I could not shake the hilarity, the irony of it all as thing were unfolding like one of Romero s drafts for his next big hit.<p>

Then suddenly, the anonymous clatter of something metallic made sent my heart from a subtle standstill to a hundred miles per hour. Almost instantly I snapped the barrel of my gun down the dimly lit hallway with my finger held firmly on the trigger. Professor, we really need to get the Hell out of here, like right fucking now! I cried.

Almost there boy, give me another minute! We might not have another damned minute, hurry the fuck up! Well, yelling isn t going to make this go any faster now will it!?

Shit! I cursed through my quickened breaths the moment I heard another rustle in the blackness. What is it? Where is it coming from? My eyes wandered frantically trying to locate the source of the abrupt noises echoing through the barren hallways. They were coming and how I dreaded the fact that I may soon lay my eyes on a horde of the undead emerging from the blackness with every intention of tearing us limb from limb. The fidgeting in my hands worsened, threatening to throw off my aim the moment I heard the pounding of metallic clamor grow louder with every count.  
>DR MACCONNELL! I yelled Almost he replied.<br>FOR FUCK S SAKES! DR MACCONNELL! DONE! At that moment a pack full of unidentified clatter scattered across the floor followed by the frantic clops of hooves as the figure of a pony was illuminated under the soft fluorescent light a stone s throw away. I swore I would have pulled the trigger had I not recognized her in the mere seconds before I gave into my impulse. Summerset? I spoke her name almost in complete disbelieve.  
>A Alex? Dr. Summerset was an earth pony, Manehattan s premier virologist and a pivotal member of Team Pandora personally recruited by Dr. Ian in the same way I was. I had no idea how she escaped the lower floors but I could see the terror in her golden eyes with tears running down the edges of her face in complete distraught. Her white coat and bright golden locks now begrimed and covered with the putrid sight of blood and all manner of bodily fluids.<br>Oh Celestia Oh Celestia why is this happening? she muttered, her voice cracking from the fear.  
>Summer, Summer listen to me. I want you to come to me, it s dangerous out in the open. They could be anywhere. Come on, I said, extending my hand to her.<br>They killed them those those FUCKING THINGS! They killed them all! she screamed through her sobs, placing her hooves over her eyes.  
>I know, I know you re scared but please. It s not safe there I wanted to save them but I couldn t, so so I ran! Want do they want me to do? Just stand there and let them kill me!? Summer no one is blaming you for what you did. Please, please just come to me, As her ghostly eyes shifted to meet my own, I felt a cold chill run down the entire length of my spine. It was then she whispered Alex Summer Summer please what have WE done? Those were the very last words I heard because the moment they left her lips, a vicious growl came from the shadows and by the time she had noticed, it was too late. Grim, salivating fangs of undead beasts emerged from behind the blackened shroud, both hands and hooves wrapping around her like the deadly coils of a constrictor before sinking their teeth into her flesh. AAAAAHHHHHH! ALEX! HELP ME!<p>

SUMMER! I yelled before firing my gun into the horde. Through the vibrating slide and the ejected shells, the walls went red with splatter the moment the rounds ripped through flesh and bone like a hot knife through butter but it was no use, there were too many of them.

AAAHH! HELP ME! HELP MEE! AAAAHHH her screams were deafening as they ravaged her as if she was nothing more than meat. Ripping her limbs from their sockets with strands of muscles being parted from fur, skin and tendons. Like rabid animals they bit into her neck and tore it open, spilling her life s blood to the ground beneath their feet while the others ripped out her entrails. I felt sick, swept away in a tidal wave of emotion and I would have lost myself had I not felt someone grab me by the shoulder.

THAT S ENOUGH BOY! Dr. Ian yelled.

NO! I HAVE TO SAVE HER!

YOU CAN T HELP HER NOW!

It was then the growls grew louder and to my horror looking straight into those demonic eyes I knew that the creatures had noticed us. Shit

RUN RUN! Dr. Ian yelled as he took down the hallway on the right.

Almost instantly I turned tail and sprinted after him as fast as my legs could carry me. I could hear the thunderous beating of my heart against my eardrums as loud as I heard the clamorous sounds of both foot and hoof steps trailing dangerously behind me. I didn t know how many of them were in pursuit nor did I care but at the corner of my eyes I could see them, the faint shadowy outlines of wraiths from the deepest darkest corners of the underworld bent on dragging my soul to the Devil himself. I kept my sight firmly on the old doctor through the twist and turns asmy lungs burned, my muscles ached but my fear kept me pressing onwards.

RUN BOY! RUN!

I could feel them gaining ground and the moment I heard the snarls and gargles grew louder, I spun my head around and fired a round or two but to no avail. As I pulled the trigger yet again, I was met with the very sound every soldier dreaded hearing in the heat of battle an empty click. SHIT GODDAMMIT! I cursed before flinging the empty piece in the direction of my pursuers. I had no idea where I was going or where Dr. Ian was headed but with every step I took I began giving into my fatigue, the temptation of rest was now an invitation for death but my brain was beginning to lose every sense of fortitude. It was over, I was going to die right here in this God forsaken place and the world will forget I ever existed.

OVER HERE BOY!

Dr. Ian s voice snapped me back to my senses as I caught sight of him by a metallic door at the end of the hallway.I gritted my teeth, summoning the remainders of my strength I pushed myself through the burning sensation in my limbs, sprinting faster than I ever did before. GET IN! Dr. Ian yelled. I had literally thrown myself into room at the end, landing shoulder first on the tiled surface of ground. My lungs were starving, my muscles were throbbing and my mind felt clouded to a point the blasts from Dr. Ian s shotgun came to me as nothing more than muffled bursts.

But in my moment of weakness I could only watch through my murky vision at the events that were soon to unfold. The old doctor was about to shut the door when one of them grabbed his left arm and sunk his human teeth into his wrist before attempting to drag him back out. ARRGH! he cried but through sheer will, he slammed his fist into the red button.

The door came to life as two pieces closed on his arm, the sickening sounds of crushing bones and flesh made my gut wrench. ARRRRRGH!

However his protruding arm had left a gaping space between thedoors and preventing it from closing completely. The salivating snarls of the undead were deafening as they trieddesperately trying to yank it open or worse, force their way through the opening. Dr. Ian took a few deep breaths, then biting down hard on his lower lip he aimed the shotgun at the base of shoulder and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered all across the surface of the metallic wall and to the relief of the struggling gears and hydraulics, the doors finally slammed to a complete close. The groans and moans had finally been silenced and for that one moment of peace I felt relieved butit wasn t until I had regained my composure did I lay my eyes on the horror that laid before me.  
>Dr. Ian? a gasp escaped me the moment I gained sight of the old doctor slumped against the door as he laid a pool of his own blood. DR IAN! Jesus Christ I could hear my own voice began to falter, my mind now complete shambles as I held his hand clutched against the gaping hole of where his arm used to be. Boy boy listen to me, he said through struggled breaths.<br>Don t talk Dr. Ian, I I ve gotta stop the bleeding, I looked around, my eyes sweeping through the sea of scattered documents and broken glass amongst the smashed up furniture from one edge of the room to the next. It took a moment before I could piece together the sight of Bunsen burners, phials and various state of the art lab instruments and drew the conclusion that this was the lab where they stored the dangerous and volatile chemicals. SHIT! I cursed my rotten luck, well aware that there was nothing here I could use.  
>Stop, it s too late you you have to go on without me, My eyes widened in shock at the mere mention of those words. What? No, NO! You re coming with me, we re getting out of here together! I cried.<br>Not like this, I will only slow you down, I M NOT LEAVING YOU HERE! GOD DAMMIT JUST LISTEN TO ME BOY! he cried as he grabbed hold of my shirt, catching me completely off guard. This is the end of the road for me but not for you, The old doctor than reached into his blood soaked pocket of his lab jacket and pulled out a flash drive. This this is the key to everything. It will help you put an end to this nightmare, take it, A cold chill swept through me as I eyed the drive in the bloodied fingers of the man I had come to admire over the months we had worked together. Although he may not have said it initially but I knew what he intended and I felt numb almost petrified at the startling realization of his request. I covered my mouth desperately trying so hard to keep up my brave visage but I was failing. Dr. Ian I can t I can t do this without you, Yes you can yes you can. Alex, you are a brilliant man and an even more talented a doctor. If anyone can find a cure, it s you, he said confidently.  
>I took a deep breath as to steady the raving thoughts in my head. There were no words to describe how much I hated everything at that very moment. How a part of me longed for a chance to return to the day Dr. Ian first walked through my front door, to show him the finger and boot him out the door with a smile on my face and a glee in my step. Shit, I would have damned this world to Hades and beyond the torching fires of the underworld had he not placed such faith in me. But I had no choice, it was now my burden to bear and with great hesitation, I took the drive from his hand.<br>Travel west from the Everfree Forest, head on by Ponyville and straight on to the beach, the extraction team will meet you there. Find the cure boy, undo what we ve done. Promise me he said.  
>I promise, it has been an honour Dr. Ian, Dr. Ian gave a weak smile. "The honour is all mine," However just as I nodded in affirmation a loud collision of something large against the thick blast proof glass caught me completely off guard as I tumbled rump first into the tiled floor beneath me. It was then my eyes caught sight of them through the murky surface the blast proof windows now blotched with bits and pieces of what used to be part of someone s were coming, they had tasted blood now mad with hunger they had resorted to throwing themselves against the transparent surface, splitting their heads wide open and crushing their very bones in the process but they cared for naught. Needless to say my worries elude me believing that the glass would hold its ground but as always, life has a funny way of saying that it hates you with a vengeance.<br>AAAH! SHIT! I cried the moment I saw a crack in the window, steadily growing larger with every colliding body. SHIT SHIT SHIT! I shouted though panicked breaths but immediately I felt Dr. Ian seize me by the collar of my shirt.  
>Get a grip boy! That glass won t hold them for long, you have to go now! he exclaimed but not before pointing at a large metallic grill upon the wall large enough to fit someone of my size. That s your way out of here, What? You expect me to climb in there? I asked in complete disbelieve.<br>I ve studied the blueprints for this place more than a dozen times. They keep that vent for emergencies in cause they needed to clear the lab of toxic fumes. That vent there will take you straight to the surface, I immediately rushed to his side the moment he he forced himself to his feet trying hard to keep himself upright. So stop yapping and start climbing, he said, shifting his hold to the edge of a nearby lab table.  
>What about you? I will try to buy you some time, he said. I may not have understood him the first time but the moment I had noticed his sudden interest in ember bottles shelved upon the metallic cabinets nearby, I understood perfectly.<br>DR. IAN NO! I exclaimed.  
>There isn t much time Alex, get going he said as he started to move, leaning on the table for support. No, I won t let you- I protested as I grabbed hold of his shoulder but then all of a sudden, all I felt was blinding pain. My hazel eyes widened at the feeling of bare knuckle colliding with my cheek the moment I felt Dr. Ian s hardened fist slamming right into the side of my face. Losing my balance, I tumbled several steps backward before my feet gave way forcing me back first onto the floor. Christ did that hurt and immediately I found myself up glaring with eyes bent on retaliation but all I saw were Dr. Ian s own. I will never forget the very look he gave me with those forlorn baby blue eyes.<br>Just go, I curled my fingers into fists, gripping so hard I felt my muscles tremble from the anger. GOD DAMMIT! I yelled, slamming my fist on the floor. I felt helpless, washed away with all my fear, anger, disappointment and sorrow, well aware that I was about to leave the closest person I ever had to a father to die to save my own skin. I rushed toward the edge of the room room and grabbed hold of the metallic grill. Then like a man possessed I started to tug with all my might but it simply refused to budge. COME ON YOU MOTHER-FUCKER! I yelled as I resorted to slamming my foot right into the bars.  
>Heaven knows just how hard I had kicked because through the adrenaline pumping through my very veins, the drumming of my pulse against the walls of my ears and the increasingly loud cracking of glass, I knocked it loose and tore it off the wall. Then with an exasperated growl, I threw the grill halfway across the room. As I struggled to catch my breath, I shifted my hazel eyes to the elderly doctor just as he tilted a shelf full of bottled chemicals and sent them crashing to the ground. I felt myself gag, having forced to cover my mouth the minute I caught the dry, burning stench of both gas and venomous vapors. With a heavy heart, I then climbed through into the ventilation shaft.<br>It was pitch blackand the narrow space made for a fit and though I drew discomfort from the dark I knew that turning back was no longer a possible option.I coughed, gasping from the thickness of the caking dust and age old musk as I stumbled frantically through the darkness in search of a good enough foothold. Finally able to lodge myself tightly between the spaces, I scrambled up the vent as fast as I could. The minutes passed and in blackness of the abyss I felt myself getting higher and higher off the ground. Forgive me my boy I opened Pandora s box, Dr. Ian s voice grew fainter in the distance followed by the unmistakable sounds of shattered glass. DR IAN! my voice echoed through the entire shaft.  
>God forgive me! I gritted my teeth and forced my eyes shut the moment I had heard his blood curdling cries soon drowned by the revolting sounds of jaws and teeth ripping into flesh. However like the consistent fool I was, I had believed that his death was the extent of his sacrifice but the moment the same putrid stench of chemicals flared up my nostrils, everything came together like clockwork. OH SHIT! I braced myself against the sides of the vents just as the lab trembled with an enormous explosion. I could feel the very tremors of the blast rattle the metallic surface so hard it was an effort to stay in place but I knew the worst was yet to come. It was then the ground beneath me lit ablaze in a gargantuan fireball. HOLY SHIT! mustering whatever strength I had left, I made a last ditch scramble for the surface.<br>I could feel the scorching heat beneath my feet chasing after me like the roars of a Hellhound born of flames wanting so desperately melt the very flesh from my bones. Fuck fuck fuck! like a man on the verge or drowning I clawed my way to the very top then without a second thought, I lunged in the direction of the bolted grill and out into the world above. Immediately I tucked my head in my arms and rolled face first into the grass just as the searing blast of flames erupted from the vent, drowning my very screams then in a blink of an eye, it was all over.  
>At that point I had neither the stamina nor the sanity to move from that very spot. Dr. Ian was gone, the lab was in shambles and my fellow doctors and colleagues were either dead or somewhere in between. Even then a part of me still clung to that shred of denial, that foolish but wishful thinking that this was all just a figment of my imagination. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, my eyes shut as I felt myself sob from the sorrow as I questioned God on the severity of sins I have wrought upon my fellow man to have deserved such a fate. How I thought of simply lay there and waiting for one of those zombies, walkers, whatever I may choose to call them to come find me and put me out of my misery.<br>But the soft beeping of my watch alerted me to the end of my hour and suddenly I was reminded of what Dr. Ian had bestowed upon me. Knowing that, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ebon flash drive, eying it with both fortitude and disdain. I had to get out of here, I had to get out of this accursed place and I had to make things right. I climbed to my feet and took a good sweep of my surroundings, trying to make the best of the waning moonlight from above but I saw nothing but rocks and trees. The Everfree Forest, the most dangerous place in all Equestria and I was smacked dab in the middle of it.  
>I took a deep breath before making my way toward the trees, taking a moment to gaze upon the diode lights of digital my watch. Eight that leave me eleven hours to go. God help me, Priorities must come first, I needed a map, supplies but most of all I needed a weapon. Though I may not know where to find them let alone where to start, what I do know was one thing.<br>Tonight was going to be the longest night of my life and I ve never felt so alone.

[Please insert Tape 2 ] 


End file.
